Always cooler near the lake. Great spot for a relaxing stroll along the beach or if its a warm day, take a swim in the lake. We depend on financial support from individuals and organizations to restore and protect access to water for all people. Hike the Bluff Trail to the stairs at Lion's Den Gorge, Hike the shore of Lake Michigan at Doctor's Park, Hike the North and South Beach Trail at Harrington Beach State Park, Hike the Quarry Lake Trail at Harrington Beach State Park, Hike through the Menomonee River at Lime Kiln Park. The Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve is located in the city of Grafton. A single sample at a marine beach should not exceed 104 Enterococci / 100 ml of water. Lions Den Gorge looks and sounds like an incredible place and I love the views of Lake Michigan too! This state park is about a 30 minute drive north from Milwaukee on I-43. Leave a little bit earlier if you have time so that you can do both! The park features a 7262-foot sandy beach that is accessed by hiking trail and a long set of stairs. The Lake Bluff trail is close to the edge of the bluff, and has an almost continuous view of the lake. There are so many landscapes to see ranging from the beach to the bluffs and the wetland. For additional project information, please contact the Department office at 262-238-8257. Parking is free and there is no fee to enter the park. Are they reasonably safe to walk in winter? This is truly a hidden gem here in Menomonee Falls and you will be one of the few people that will discover it! But we think after seeing just how incredible this place looks, youll want to make the drive. There are lots of small hikes to do and it is well sign posted with nice bathrooms. This used to be less well known, but because of "stay at home" and covid, it's much more popular since people are exploring their own backyards again, which I guess is a good thing, but makes for more crowds! Experience over 11 million gallons of awe-inspiring wonders at Georgia Aquarium. beautiful views. Leashed dogs are welcome at Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve, which represents one of the last stretches of undeveloped bluff land along the Lake Michigan shoreline, from Mequon up to Port Washington. As you explore the trails, it almost seems as if you're hiking in the, Yelp users havent asked any questions yet about. Here is a great list to get you started. Join Milwaukee Riverkeeper for an event this summer! My boyfriend and I frequent Lions Den. Over 1/2 mile of 90- to 100-foot bluffs look out onto Lake Michigan, offering tremendous viewing opportunities for residents and visitors.Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve is also adjacent to a 44-acre wetland complex Ulao Waterfowl Production Area. Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve is not just any park you run into in Wisconsin its like a tropical destination in the Midwest. If you are able take the stairs down with your dog(s) and enjoy the Lake Michigan Beach. This 73-acre park was part of an undeveloped Lake Michigan Shoreline property in the Town of Grafton, which contained a portion of the Lions Den Gorge Natural Area. We love the variety of trails and the rocky beach area is beautiful! This map was created by a user. There are over 2 miles of walking trails, which are easy to navigate and marked well. Easy 4.6 (1115) Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve. You do NOT need a sticker to get into this park it is free to the public. We did need a little more adventure than the marked pathway so we hoped of and trekked a bit off the path. , than say Grant Park and Milwaukee County. It's beautiful, there are monarchs flying all around you, and it's an easy hike. Your photos give great visual content. 1.) Ive heard it gets busier on the weekend; so take advantage and go check it out during the week, if you are able. Classes, Activities, & Enrichment for Kids, Meet Our Partners + Sponsorship/Affiliates Disclosure, Summer Festivals Happening In + Around Madison, WI in 2023, Farmers Markets in 2023 | In + Around Madison, WI, Water Safety Tips from SwimWest Swim School | Plus FREE Event, Memorial Union Terrace Reopening for the Season on April 12, Go, See, Explore: Garver Feed Mill in Madison, WI, Go, See, Explore: Wisconsin Veterans Museum. The trail starts right at the parking lot and there are two different paths you can take: This entire loop will take you approximately 1 hour from the parking lot to the lake roundtrip. 511 High Bluff Drive Grafton, WI 53024. It has beach access along it's entire length, multiple hiking trails, and a great quarry lake that can be used for fishing, hiking, or general exploring. Five story bluffs. Things to Do in Grafton Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve See all things to do Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve 5 106 reviews #1 of 6 things to do in Grafton Nature & Wildlife Areas Visit website Call Write a review About Features animals Learn more about animal welfare in tourism From the parking lot, go south toward the signs for Quarry lake. The hardest part of the hike is the steps down to the water. Our time in the water in Madison was cut short this summer when we learned about bacteria issues. These views are uncompromised in the area! Lion's Den Gorge Natural Area. This project is expected to greatly enhance the Park user experience. Beautiful views of Lake Michigan, and very easy hiking for new adventurers. From the photos, I never would have guessed this is in Wisconsin. Both times, the weather was very different and it made the place feel completely different. Lion's Den is gorgeous! And also beautiful. The Beach Act is the nation's primary beach protection law. You can potentially follow the river the entire way out, and then trek back on the surrounding farmlands toward the parking lot. Definitely Che k out the marsh walkway and the frogs! Parking is free and there is no fee to enter the park. Google maps tells me it is closed Saturday's and Sunday's? Follow the paved path down toward the lake on the north side of the parking lot The park offers tremendous viewing and educational opportunities, including access to a Natural Area that has remained untouched since before the European settlement of Wisconsin. Youre unlikely to see any lions but you may encounter some beautiful birds in the preserve. Follow the paved path down toward the lake on the north side of the parking lot You can pack a lunch or bring a picnic basket for the day. Grey means there is no current water quality information, the beach is under construction, there has been an event that has rendered water quality information unreliable or unavailable. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. It's not a whole car there are no doors hood seats etc but it's a whole car frame rims etc.. Always obey signs at the beach or advisories from official government agencies. There are 3 waterfalls here, mostly under 5 ft high, see if you can find them all! If I owned this land, Im not sure I would want to share views like this: I love visiting the nature preserves near me as they are a great way to disconnect from modern life and reconnect with nature. Photos (1,190) Directions; Print/PDF map; Share; More; Length 3.4 km Elevation gain 45 m Route type Circular. adventures and follow local regulations. The geometric mean of 5 samples from a marine beach should not exceed 35 Enterococci / 100 ml of water. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. This is a longer hike than just simply appreciating the lake from the top. Swim Guide is a free service. Which you wouldnt necessarily have to do. Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve Photos (1,177) Directions Print/PDF map Length 2.1 miElevation gain 147 ftRoute type Loop Check out this 2.1-mile loop trail near Grafton, Wisconsin. This beach has many jetties that go out into the water which are closed off however they make great foreground interest if you are coming here for photography! If you're looking to capture some beautiful pictures of Wisconsin, or just want to hike along the shores of Lake Michigan, Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve is where you need to be. If you are craving an island vacation Lions Den Gorge is definitely worth a drive! The Lion's Den Gorge is situated in Chafford Hundred. My daughter and I had an opportunity to explore Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve, located in Grafton, WI. Majority of this location has easy walking trails with beautiful views. Love Wisconsin? They are posted when a single sample exceeds 235 E. coli / 100 ml. The main trail is the Lions Den Trail which is just under 2 miles long. It can get pretty busy in the summer and on weekends so the colder months have become my favorite time to visit. The property is naturally diverse with terrain ranging from wetlands and a deep gorge to wooded highlands and a steep bluff that provides striking views of Lake Michigan. We may manually set the status for a specific beach if we have concerns about the sampling protocol, if there is an emergency, if monitoring practices don't exist or have recently changed, or other reasons that render this site "special.". Thank you! Lions Den Gorge Nature Preserve is a perfect place to see a beautiful sunrise. The grounds are well maintained, there are benches along the way to rest, and it offers stunning views. Medium priority beaches are sampled at least twice per week. An asphalt driveway/parking lot, informational kiosk, gravel trails, trail bridges and stairways, bluff vistas, and several elevated board walk trails have been added to the park between 2003 and 2008. It's about 100 steps down to the shoreline but the steps meander with many platforms to stop along the way, so it didn't feel overwhelming coming up. The biggest highlight of the trail is that it goes along the bluff with multiple stopping points to take in the beautiful views of Lake Michigan. It is an especially beautiful place in the spring and fall. Your email address will not be published. Never Saw a Lion But there Are Shallow Caves. According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve is. 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